Andrew Shaw on ovation at Blackhawks Convention: ‘I tried to stay serious but I had to crack a smile'

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Andrew Shaw never wanted to leave Chicago. Salary cap reasons forced the Blackhawks into trading the two-time Stanley Cup champion to Montreal, where he signed a six-year contract in the summer of 2016.

So when The Mutt was reacquired by the Blackhawks in June, you had to wonder who was more excited for the reunion: Shaw himself or Blackhawks fans?

Judging by the warm reception he got at the 12th annual Blackhawks Convention, it's easy to say the fans. But it meant a lot to Shaw, too.

“Oh it’s pretty awesome," Shaw said in an interview with NBC Sports Chicago. "It was tough not to smile. I tried to stay serious but I had to crack a smile. That love feels amazing. It’s a city that helped make me who I am. I grew up here. You know, five years. Five amazing years. Memories that just all come back to you at once. It was a pretty cool feeling.”

Shaw was brought back for a variety of reasons. His presence, both on and off the ice, has been missed by the Blackhawks over the years and it showed. Both Shaw and the Blackhawks haven't gotten a taste of the postseason in consecutive seasons now and they're both looking to change that.

“I mean, it’d be awesome," Shaw said. "I haven’t been in the playoffs in two years, either. It’s boring. You go home and you watch playoff hockey and you wish you were a part of it. We’ve got to use that to fire ourselves to push a little bit harder. Sometimes it can be a one-game difference so you’ve got to make sure you’re prepared for every game and you got to go out there and give it your all every chance you can.”

Check out the interview in the video above.

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